Potential signal to accommodation from the Stiles–Crawford effect and ocular monochromatic aberrations

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine if cues within the blurred retinal image due to the Stiles–Crawford (SC) effect and the eye's monochromatic aberrations can drive accommodation with a small pupil (3 mm) that is typical of bright photopic conditions. The foveal, psychophysical SC function (17 min arc) and ocular monochromatic aberrations were measured in 21 visually normal adults. The retinal image of a 10.2 min arc disc was simulated for spherical defocus levels of −1 D, 0 D and +1 D in each of four conditions consisting of combinations of the presence or absence of the individual SC function and monochromatic aberrations with a 3 mm pupil. Accommodation was recorded in 11 participants as each viewed the simulations through a 0.75 mm pinhole. The SC effect alone did not provide a significant cue to accommodation. Monochromatic aberrations provided a statistically significant but rather small cue to monocular accommodation.

Keywords:

• ocular accommodation
• Stiles–Crawford effect
• cone photoreceptor
• ocular aberration

Acknowledgements

Supported by National Eye Institute Grant 2R01-EY05901-12A1 to Philip B. Kruger. Portions of this study were presented at the 2007 Annual Meeting of ARVO.